Internships in Cape Town with VACorps

Visiting South Africa was always a dream of mine. It seemed so far away but yet a place full of beauty and adventure. During this crossroad in my life, and as an adult changing careers I thought: what better place to end this transition than in a beautiful city like Cape Town. I saw various internship websites and when I came across VACorps and read about the various programs and testimonials of other interns immediately gave me lots of positivity and trust. Since the first email, I sent VACorps until the end of my application process to come to Cape Town everyone was so welcoming, patient and made sure I understood the whole process while making me feel safe and confident in my decision. I really enjoyed going to Cape Point on one of the weekly activities with all the interns and part of the VACorps staff, it was a beautiful and unforgettable experience. One of the biggest highlights of my trip was going on the Garden Route Tour, I had just landed from Spain 2 days before, and here I was 2 days later going on a beautiful safari with the whole team, it really made my trip start with a big bang! I loved every second of it, and I will treasure those memories forever. I always felt safe and taken care of by the team as well as my internship site felt like one big family. I never felt alone or unprotected being so far away from home. The warmth and kindness everyone showed me mean the world to me and a little piece of my heart will always remain in Cape Town.

I recommend all interns looking for an adventure of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience while learning and gaining experience in their respective careers to choose VACorps. Whether you are in your gap year or changing careers at a later stage of your life like me, this is a beautiful, unique, and enriching experience. I learned a lot at my internship practice at the psychiatric clinic where I worked, it has given me a better understanding of what to expect in my new career as a psychologist, and I have also learned a lot about myself. I am forever grateful for the guidance, support, and everything I learned during my internship. I always felt part of their team, I never felt like an outsider nor even as an intern. Thank you for making me feel valued and for teaching me about all the unique experiences the world of psychology has to offer. I still have much to learn as someone starting in the world of psychology, but if my experience at the Clinic is a small taste of what is yet to come, then I am very happy and excited about the future.

The last three months in Cape Town were undoubtedly some of the best of my life! The city itself is unrivaled in natural beauty. VACorps provides a program packed with interesting experiences, and the community we formed embarked on more adventures than some have in a lifetime. The summer months were heavenly with perfect temperatures for beach days, hikes, surfing, and pool parties. Cape Town is insanely trending with very cool venues. I loved every minute. I also really feel blessed to have worked at my internship site, a psychiatric clinic for adolescents, where each employee was professional and pleasant to work with. I’ll never forget the lessons I learned or the people I’ve met. Thank you VACorps for making so many dreams come true and for providing us with a community to experience it all with.

I came to South Africa because I wanted an opportunity to learn about occupational therapy in a context outside of the United States to see the similarities and differences of our scope of practice in another culture. I also wanted to learn how to provide care in a setting with different resources than I am used to so I can push myself, grow my skill set, and gain an outside perspective. Plus, South Africa seemed like such a beautiful, diverse country-what a perfect place to learn! I've been interning in the occupational therapy department a children's hospital, primarily in the neurology and neurosurgery wards, providing treatment to children with traumatic brain injuries and other neurologic conditions.I've also seen patients in the outpatient (day) clinic ranging from children with severe burns to children with Autism or developmental delays. Working here has really taught me about healthcare in another context and helped me learn how to provide the best care possible while navigating differences in culture, language, or resources.

Outside of work, I have absolutely loved Cape Town! I will never forget all of the beautiful views, wonderful people, and delicious food! I loved all there was to do! I explored so many markets, hikes, beaches, and I feel like I barely scratched the surface! It was always fun to have a weekly outing coordinated by VACorps as well. It was a fun way to see different areas with other interns. VACorps provided excellent support the entire time I was here, and I was amazed at how quickly I felt at home. Two and a half months certainly flew by, and I know that I will be back for more soon!

I found out about Vacorps through my school program. During my stay in Cape Town, I have felt like Vacorps was my home away from home. When I was sick each team member was there to help and I never felt alone. They were a great support system and also took us to many cool places we wouldn’t have been able to go and experience without their help. During my internship, I enjoyed helping add on to the leave policy for the benefits team. I liked how I helped plan the launch of the new EAP. I liked how I got a chance to make new training on effective communication that they will hopefully launch even after I’m gone from the company. I would definitely do another Vacorps internship.

I think that VACorps provides great in-country support, and the orientation was great. I am very grateful to VACorps for connecting me with my internship site. I had the opportunity to work with such an inspiring group of people throughout the past few months. They welcomed me as part of the team and I feel like I was able to make a strong contribution to the organization. I had the absolute best time exploring Cape Town - it is truly a one of a kind city. I will miss the hikes, sunsets, markets, and the list goes on.

I found VACorps because I was looking for an independent study abroad program in Africa. I was interested in the program description and the description of Cape Town. However, I was convinced that I wanted to go when I read the testimonials of VAC alumni. People talked about receiving guidance and support and getting the opportunity to explore the city. This was true of my experience as well. After reading testimonials, I had high expectations and the experience I had met all of those expectations.

I chose to undertake an internship to make myself more employable - giving myself an edge over students with similar qualifications in the industry. I decided to do this in Cape Town because I thought completing a business internship there would be very interesting in such a rapidly growing economy. My favorite thing about interning in Cape Town was how relaxed everyone is - it is a very calm and friendly environment to work in. In my time here I learned that I am a lot more extroverted than I first thought - ever since I got here I just always want to be around people. On that note, the thing I will miss most is all of the amazing relationships I have formed here. The VAC staff were absolutely amazing - everyone was very welcoming and friendly - always with a smile and I really appreciated the care they took in introducing us to the neighborhood and ensuring that we knew how to be safe. The weekly activities were really fun although I feel like there was too strong a focus on wine tasting. I think the thing I most appreciated was the introduction to the neighborhood and the instruction on how to move about safely.

I was interested in this program because of the reviews I read. Several people commented that it was a chance to work and travel at the same time in a beautiful environment. My experience met and exceeded my expectations. From the application process, the communication was clear, simple, and helpful. It was clear that the VACorps team was interested in helping me get placed in the best internship for me. When I got to the country, the in-country support was crucial in terms of helping me get settled. Throughout my internship, I loved getting to know my fellow interns and the staff during weekly meet-ups. VACorps gave me the tools to experience Cape Town and helped me do it well.